Videoconferencing has become a popular way for people to conduct business, particularly when they are geographically separated. Desktop video conferencing provides an inexpensive way for small businesses and individuals to see each other and associated content (e.g., whiteboards, physical objects and so forth) when they are remotely connected. Another type of videoconferencing allows people to see each other for the purpose of socializing, e.g., using webcams.
However, most current means of telecommunication, including desktop video conferencing, do not provide a way for participants to convey important types of non-verbal social signals (including accurate eye gaze and gesture direction) that are afforded in face-to-face meetings. This results in an unnatural looking experience, as well as in losing possibly valuable non-verbal information that can be conveyed in person. Some high-end room conferencing systems are better at conveying such social signals, but their size and cost make their use very limited.